Abigail Claire Tilton breaks down the history of International Women's Day and the significance it holds to both women in America and those around the globe.

1. INTERNATIONAL
W O M E N ' S D A Y

2. “Forthelongworkday,
Forthetaxeswepay,
Forthelawsweobey,
Wewantsomethingtosay.”

3. HISTORY
Inearly1908,theWoman’sProgressiveSuffrageUnion
plannedthenation’sfirstsuffrageparade. 15,000women
marchedthroughNewYorkCity,headsheldhigh,demanding
shorterworkhours,legalcontrolovertheirpropertyandtheir
children,andequalityineducation,employment,and
marriage.

4. Within a year, following a
declaration by the Socialist Party of
America, the first National Women’s
Day (NWD) was observed across
the U.S. on February 28. The last
Sunday of February was continually
celebrated as NWD until 1913 when
discussions led to the global
transfer of International Women’s
Day (IWD) to March 8th.
T H E R E S U L T ?
(IWD)

5. While the marches continued
throughout the years, struggling
with police arrests and press
suppression (such as the NY Times
post claiming women are born
smugglers who shouldn’t be trusted
with votes on tariff issues), the
women continued to gain more
followers and supporters. Suffrage
rallies and processions became
nearly weekly events with
thousands of women parading.
Finally, in 1920, 12 years after the
first march, women finally received
their constitutional amendment for
the right to vote.

6. AS YEARS PASSED
womenfromaroundtheworldcontinuedtopushtheir
agendaandfightfortheequality.By1975,International
Women’sDaywasofficiallycelebratedbytheUnitedNations.
By2000,however,IWDactivityhadstalled.Feminismwasno
longerapopulartopic,andgenderparityhadstillnotbeen
achieved.

7. BY 2001
thedigitalhubforIWDwaslaunchedtocelebratethe
achievementsofwomenandtocontinueacceleratinggender
parity.Thiswebsiteismadepossibleeachyearthrough
supportfromorganizationsaroundtheworldcommittedto
reachinggenderequality.Campaignthemesareadopted
annuallytoprovidetheframeworkanddirectionforannual
IWDactivity.Examplesinclude“BeBoldforChange,”and
“ConnectingGirls,InspiringFutures.”

8. 100 years after the first IWD event
in 1911, President Barack Obama
proclaimed March “Women’s
History Month.” The President
called on Americans to use this
month as a time for reflection on
“the extraordinary accomplishments
of women” in shaping the country’s
history.
I N 2 0 1 1
(IWD)

9. Whilemorewomenareintheboardroom,havegreater
equalityinlegislativerights,andincreasedvisibilityofwomen
inimpressiveroles,societyhasstillnotreachedgenderparity.
Womenarestillnotpaidequallytotheirmalecounterparts,
womenarenotpresentinequalnumberinbusinessorpolitics,
andwomen’shealth,education,andviolenceareworsethan
thatofmen.
IT’S NOW 2018

10. However, the movement is far from
over. A global web of support and
activity connects women from all
around the world from political
rallies to business conferences.

11. 2018 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY AGENDA:
“Now,morethanever,there’sastrongcall-to-
actiontopressforwardandprogressgenderparity.
There’sastrongcallto#PressforProgress
motivatingandunitingfriends,colleagues,and
wholecommunitiestothink,actandbegender
inclusive.”